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U.S. NEWS Saturday 2 February 2019

tions with European allies, house of parliament. sia can still save the treaty
who share the administra- INF was the first arms con- by returning to compliance
tion's view that Russia is vi- trol measure to ban an before the U.S. withdrawal
olating the treaty but who entire class of weapons: takes effect.
have not endorsed a U.S. ground-launched cruise "But at the same time, we
withdrawal. missiles with a range be- have started to assess the
Secretary of State Mike tween 500 kilometers (310 consequences, look into
Pompeo, speaking to re- miles) and 5,500 kilome- options," Stoltenberg said.
porters after Trump's state- ters (3,400 miles). At the "We need to make sure
ment, said Russia will be for- time, in the late stages of that we respond as an alli-
mally notified on Saturday the Cold War, the U.S. and ance, all 29 allies, because
that the U.S. is withdrawing its allies were mainly con- all allies are involved and
from the treaty, effective cerned by the perceived all allies are affected."
in six months. In the mean- threat of Russian medium- Trump said his administra-
time, starting Saturday, the range nuclear missiles that tion will move forward with
U.S. will suspend its obliga- were targeted at Europe. developing military re-
tions under the treaty. The U.S. deployed similar sponse options. But senior
State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino stands Pompeo said that if, in the missiles in response, in the Trump administration offi-
on stage with Secretary of State Mike Pompeo as he speaks at a
news conference at the State Department in Washington, Friday, coming six months, Rus- 1980s, leading to negotia- cials said they don't expect
Feb. 1, 2019. sia accepts U.S. demands tions that produced the INF any immediate testing or
Associated Press that it verifiably destroy the treaty. Rep. Adam Smith, a deployment of weapons
cruise missiles that Wash- Washington state Demo- that are banned under the
Continued from Front that the U.S. will "move for- ington claims are a viola- crat and new chairman treaty. The current Penta-
In explaining his deci- ward" with developing its tion, then the treaty can be of the House Armed Ser- gon budget includes $48
sion, which he had fore- own military response op- saved. If it does not, "the vices Committee, blasted million for research on po-
shadowed months ago, tions to Russia's banned de- treaty terminates," he said. Trump for raising the risk of tential military responses to
President Donald Trump ployment of cruise missiles Administration officials nuclear war. "The adminis- the alleged Russian viola-
accused Moscow of vio- that could target western have dismissed concerns tration's ideological aver- tions, but U.S. officials said
lating the 1987 Intermedi- Europe. that the treaty's demise sion to arms control as a the options do not include
ate-Range Nuclear Forces "We cannot be the only could trigger a race to de- tool for advancing national a nuclear missile.
treaty with "impunity" by country in the world unilat- velop and deploy more security is endangering our The officials, speaking after
deploying banned mis- erally bound by this treaty, intermediate-range mis- safety, as well as that of our Trump's announcement,
siles. Moscow denies it is in or any other," Trump said. siles. U.S. officials have allies and partners," Smith said the U.S. is not in position
violation and has accused Other officials said the emphasized their fear that said. "The risk of miscalcula- to flight test, let alone de-
Washington of resisting its treaty could still be saved if China, which is not party to tion or misunderstanding is ploy, INF noncompliant mis-
efforts to resolve the dis- Russia reverses course and the treaty, is gaining a sig- already higher than at any siles as a counter to Russia
pute. returns to compliance, but nificant military advantage point since the end of the any time soon. The officials
Democrats in Congress that window of opportunity in Asia by deploying large Cold War, and this decision spoke on condition of ano-
and some arms control ad- will close in six months when numbers of missiles with only makes it worse." nymity under ground rules
vocates criticized Trump's the American withdrawal is ranges beyond the treaty's U.S. officials say they have set by the White House.
decision as opening the due to take effect. limit. Whether the U.S. will little reason to think Mos- One official said allies will
door to an arms race. The Trump decision reflects now respond by deploying cow will change its stance be consulted before any
"The U.S. threat to terminate his administration's view INF noncompliant missiles in in the next six months. decisions are made on re-
the treaty will not bring Rus- that the arms treaty was an Asia is unclear. In any case, "We have raised Russia's sponding to any Russian
sia back into compliance unacceptable obstacle to it seems unlikely Beijing noncompliance with Rus- missiles.
and could unleash a dan- more forcefully confront- would agree to any negoti- sian officials — including at Leaving the treaty would
gerous and costly new mis- ing not only Russia but also ated limits on its weaponry. the highest levels of gov- allow the Trump adminis-
sile competition between China. China's military has Russia accused the U.S. of ernment — more than 30 tration to counter the Chi-
the United States and Rus- grown mightily since the unilaterally seeking to neu- times," Pompeo said. "We nese, but it's unclear how it
sia in Europe and beyond," treaty was signed, and the ter the treaty. have provided Russia an would do that. U.S. security
the private Arms Control pact has prevented the "I 'congratulate' the whole ample window of time to concerns are complicated
Association said. It argued U.S. from deploying weap- world; the United States mend its way. Tomorrow by what U.S. intelligence
that Washington had not ons to counter some of has taken another step to- that time runs out." officials earlier this week
exhausted options for those being developed in ward its destruction today," Jens Stoltenberg, the NATO called efforts by China and
drawing Russia back into Beijing. said Konstantin Kosachev, secretary-general, said in Russia to expand their glob-
compliance. Leaving the INF pact, how- head of the foreign affairs an interview Friday with The al influence, particularly in
Trump said in a statement ever, risks aggravating rela- committee in Russia's upper Associated Press that Rus- Asia and the Middle East.q